What Are The Different Types of Dormer Roofs?

Dormers are the structural extensions seen on the angled sides of some pitched roofs.

Made in many different styles, a dormer professionally installed by skilled roof services can add unique character to residential roofs while also providing a number of benefits.

Whether you are after a new look for your home, more light and ventilation in your attic, or more headspace on your top floor, these are some of the more popular choices for dormers.

Gable - Gable dormers are the most basic and common types of dormers found on residential roofs today. They extend out from the pitched side of a gable roof and have a gabled top of their own to match the main structure. These are great to add extra windows for light and ventilation to the top of a house and can be easily installed on most pitched roofs.

Hipped - Like gable dormers, hipped dormers mimic the look of a pitched, hipped roof. This dormer has three angular sides as opposed to two, sometimes with a flat surface at the top of the structure. Hipped dormers are appropriate on homes with either hipped or gable architecture. They work well to provide more light, ventilation, and space at the top of the house.

Shed - A shed dormer is a large structure that roof services build into the side of a sharper pitched angle to raise the roofline and provide more usable space. These dormers are especially useful for turning attics into living space by raising the interior height where they are built.

Arched or Barrel - Extending from the sides of angled roofs, arched or barrel dormers have straight construction and a rounded top. With these dormers, the rounded tops contrast attractively against the rest of the sharp angles on the roof and the rest of the house.

Eyebrow - Designed to add decoration or a little bit of light into darker spaces, eyebrow dormers are smaller dormers extending off the angled surfaces of residential roofs. The top of the dormer is smoothly curved like an arched dormer but blended into the main angle. From a distance, these dormers look like an eye with an eyebrow.

False - False dormers are basically non-functional dormers that roof services can install on your house for appearance only. They are simple to add because they don’t require opening up the top of the house and adding the dormer as if you were making an addition to the house.

Recessed - Recessed dormers are set back into the attic space of a house as opposed to extending out from the roof. They are useful for adding patios to the top floor of a house, as they provide a flat surface to the front of the dormer and windows or sliding doors closer to the living space. Recessed dormers can also be used to open up more space for light where there is a vaulted ceiling in the house.

Pedimented - A pedimented dormer is one that is more than just the dormer structure itself; it is also a set of columns that reach to the ground. These dormers usually appear over doorways or windows and make an attractive architectural addition to many types of buildings.

If you are thinking of adding dormers to your home, discuss your ideas with experienced roof services that can explain what is involved in making this kind of modification to residential roofs.

When skillfully built onto roofs, the right style dormers can transform the look of any home while also providing a number of other great advantages!